“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” (Ephesians 4:28)
Several years ago, a friend who lives in an area where there is no gospel church and no gospel preacher, wrote to me. He had planned to hire a replacement worker for a few days so that he could bring his family across the state to hear me preach in a meeting. He wrote to apologize for the fact that he could not attend the meetings as planned because of his work. He wrote, “I am chained to this job”.
I very much appreciated my friend’s thoughtfulness in writing to me to let me know that he could not be with us in the meeting; but there was no need for him to apologize. I have never been one to upbraid people for missing a worship service because they have to work. I know what that is like. You who feel guilty about sometimes having to miss services because of your work should be aware of these two facts:
1. Faithfulness in work is every bit as important as faithfulness in public worship.
That man who will not hold down a job and work to support his family, even if he pretends that his reasons are noble and spiritual, is an infidel at heart (1 Tim. 5:8). Believers, true believers, are the best employees any employer has. They recognize that their service is to God, not to their employer. Consequently, they serve with their hearts fixed upon God, as doing his will, and thus worship as they work. Public worship must not be neglected. Any believer who is able to arrange his schedule at work, should arrange it around the services of public worship. However, for some that is not practical, and sometimes not possible, but if a person does not worship God in the factory and in the field, he does not worship God in the church house.
2. Were it not for laboring people who give of their means to support the gospel, God’s servants would not be able to give themselves to the work of the ministry.
Someone has to pay the bills! One reason why believers ought to work and work with an eye toward success in their field, is that they may have the means with which to meet the needs of others, especially their spiritual needs (Eph. 4:28; 1 Thess. 4:11). I am able to travel around the world preaching the gospel of Christ freely, and am allowed to give myself entirely to the work of the ministry, because of God’s people who work and give. I thank you, and thank God for you!